Typewriting machine



Jan. 20, 1942. o. w. SWANSON TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed June 30',- 1959 I .5 F hlil m: -rmwwwu INVENTOR OSCAR MJWANSO/V ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 20, 1942 .i

UNITED TYPEWRITING MACHINE Oscar W. Swanson, West Hartford, Conn., assignor to Underwood Elliott Fisher Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application June 30, 1939, serial No.282,035

12 Claims. (01. 197-4) Thi invention relates to typewriting machines and combined typewriting and accounting machines and more particularly to machines of the Elliott Fisher type provided with a flat platen and a line space frame movable forwardly and rearwardly over the platen to position the type carriage for writing on the several lines of a work sheet.

Such machines are usually provided with a depressor plate mounted on the forward portion of the line space frame and yieldingly pressed toward the platen to hold that portion of the I work sheet adjacent theline along which the types engage said sheet in position against the platen during the typing operation. Different forms of depressor platesare now made for different kinds of work and it is frequently desirable to remove the depressor plate and substitute a plate of different form therefor. In prior constructions, the depressor plate has been intended to be permanently mounted on the line space frame and the construction by which the depressor plate has been movably supported on said frame has been such that the removal thereof would have required the disassembling of a relatively large number of parts. The substitution therefore, in prior machines, would have required some mechanical skill and have taken a considerable amount of labor and time.

Oftentimes the line space frame is moved forwardly so far that the rearedge of the depressor plate is beyond the forward edge of the work sheet. Then, when the line space frame is moved rearwardly to permit the removal of the work sheet, the depressor plate catches on said sheet and rumples and tears the same.

One object of the present invention is to provide machines of the above class with a construction for movably supporting the depressor plate on the line space frame which will enable the depressor plate to be quickly and easily applied to and removed from said frame by the operator of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide machines of the above class with a novel construction which willenable the operator readily to raise the rear portion of the depressor late. With these objects in view, the invention consists in a machine embodying the novel and improved features, constructions and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the advantages of which will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

The various features of the invention will be clearly understood from the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention in its preferred form and the following detailed description of the constructions therein shown.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a plan view illustrating certain parts of a typewriting machine of the Elliott Fisher type embodying the invention,

Fig. 2| is a view in front elevation illustrating certain parts of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a view .similar to Fig. 3 illustrating the depressor plate detached from the line space frame, and

Fig. 5 is a detail plan view illustrating a switch for controlling the circuit of the motor for operating the line space frame.

The invention is illustrated in this application as applied to a typewriting machine or a combined typewriting and accounting machine of the Elliott Fisher type such as that illustrated and described in the patent to Foothorap No. 1,904,127, dated April 18, 1933. The machine 11- lustrated in this application preferably has substantially the same construction, arrangement and mode of operation of parts, except as to the differences hereinafter described, as the machine illustrated and'described in said patent. In the drawings of this case, only certain portions of the platen frame, the platen, and the line space frame together with certain associated parts are shown.

The machine shown and described in said Foothorap patent comprises a platen frame, a substantially flat platen supported in said frame, a line space frame mounted on the platen frame for forward and rearward movement over the platen and a type carriage carried by the line sp'ace frame and arranged for lateral movement on said frame in letter spacing and return directions.

, The construction shown in the drawing of this application comprises a platen frame having side bars or rails indicated at 2, a substantially flat platen indicated at 4 supported in said frame and a line space frame indicated as a whole at- B mounted for forward and rearward movement on said side rails over the platen. The line space frame comprises front and rear transverse bars or rails 8 and ID extending over the platen frame and the platen and side bars l2 connected to said rails and extending alongside the side bars of the platen frame outside of the same. The line space frame is provided with front and rear sets of rollers or wheels l4 and I6 which engage the upper surfaces of the side rails 2 of the platen frame to movably support the frame. The front and rear rails 8 and I constitute supporting and guide rails upon which the type carriage rides.

A transverse line space frame operating shaft I8 is journaled in the line space frame and carries the rollers it which are fixed thereto. To this shaft are also fixed gears, one of which is indicated at 2!! meshing respectively with racks 22 secured to the side rails 2 of the platen frame. The shaft I8 is driven in opposite directions through suitable driving connections such, for example, as shown in said Foothorap patent, from an electric motor indicated at 24. The conductors 26 of the circuit for the motor lead to the terminals of a safety control switch indicated as a whole at 28. This circuit is also controlled by a manually operated switch indicated at 30,

The machine is provided with a depressor plate 32 pivotally mounted on the front rail 8 of the line space frame and arranged to engage the work sheets supported on the platen just forwardly of the line along which the types are impressed on said sheet. The depressor plate illustrated consists of a plate of suitable metallic sheet material having a body portion 34 arranged to engage the work sheets and an attaching portion 36 bent at substantially right angles to the body portion. The attaching portion is detachably connected to the front rail 8 and to this end is formed with projections 38, one adjacent each end thereof arranged to enter between the forward face of the rail and the central portion of a retainer or clip 40 having the modified U-shape shown in Fig. 1, the central portion of the clip being spaced from the rail and the ends thereof being secured in any suitable manner to the rail.

In order to retain the depressor plate in position on the front rail, each of the projections 38 is formed with an opening 42 in Which engages a retainer ball 44 somewhat larger than the opening mounted in a bore 45 in the front rail 8 and the ball is pressed forwardly by a spring 45 to maintain the same yieldingly in said opening. With this construction, the balls 44 tend to hold the depressor plate in position with the projections 38 in contact with the central portions of the clips 40 above and below the balls,

. which, for convenience, will be termed its normal position. The depressor plate, however, may be tilted or swung rearwardly from this position, to raise the rear or work engaging portion thereof against the tension of the springs 45, the depressor plate then pivoting about the line of engagement of the upper edges of the clips 40 with the projections 38. The parts are so constructed and arranged that, when the depressor plate is in engagement with the platen, the plate is swung upwardly to some degree from its normal position as shown in Fig. 3, and is yieldingly held in engagement with the platen by the springs 45. The work engaging portion of the depressor plate is allowed to conform to the thickness of the work sheets between the same and the platen by the tilting of said plate to different degrees about the line of engagement of the projections 38 with the upper edges of the clips 4%, and the plate is at all times, during the typing of said sheets, held yieldingly in engagement with the same by the springs 46.

The construction described for holding the depressor plate in position upon the front rail 8 enables said plate to be removed from said rail and another plate to be applied to the rail quickly and easily by the operator of the machine or by any unskilled person. In removing the depressor plate from the line space frame, the forward portion of the frame is lifted and the depressor plate is then manipulated to disengage the projections 38 from between the clips 40 and the forward face of the front rail, the retainer balls 44 yielding to permit this operation and then moving forwardly into engagement with the clips as shown in Fig. 4, this figure showing the position of the parts after the removal of the depressor plate. A substitute depressor plate may then be applied to the line space frame by manipulating the plate to force the projections 38 thereon between the retainer balls 44 and the central portions of the clips 40 until the balls engage in the openings 42 in said projections.

The present machine is provided with a safety bail indicated at 48 similar in operation to the safety bail illustrated and described in the Foothorap patent referred to above. The safety bail 48 consists of a sheet metal plate shaped as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and mounted for slight forward and rearward pivotal movement upon the front rail 8 of the line space frame. The bail is provided with projections 50 having openings 52 in which loosely engage supporting screws 54, the openings being considerably larger than the shanks or bodies of the screws to permit free movement of the bail. Each of the projections 50 on the bail is provided with a contact lug 56 preferably made by deforming portions of the sheet metal of the bail. These lugs are arranged to engage respectively the forward faces of collars 58 mounted on the screws 54, the rear faces of these collars engaging spacing plate 60 secured to the forward face of the front rail 8. These lugs engage the collars 58 upon the screws 54 as shown in Fig. 3 and form pivotal contacts for the bail.

With this construction, upon pressing the bail rearwardly below the supporting screws 54, the bail will pivot about the points of contact of the lugs 56 with the collars 58.

The safety bail 48 is arranged to control the safety switch 28 in the motor circuit. To this end, the bail is provided with a lateral extension 62 which is engaged by the forward end of a control rod 64 mounted in guide bores in the line space frame to slide forwardly and rearwardly with relation to said frame, the rod engaging said extension at a point considerably below the pivotal points of the bail, as shown in Fig. 2. The rear end portion of the control rod 64, which is made of insulating material, engages the right hand end, (Figs. 1 and 5) of a leaf spring 66 which carries one contact 68 of the switch 28.

The spring 66' is electrically connected with a terminal post In to which is attached one end of one of the conductors 26 and both spring and terminal post are mounted on a block 12 of insulating material fixed to the rear portion of the line space frame as shown in Fig. 1. Theother contact 14 of the switch is secured to a leaf spring 16 electrically connected with a terminal post 18, both mounted on the insulating block 72 and one end of the other conductor 26 is attached to this terminal post. Fig. 1 shows the switch parts covered by a plate 19.

The leaf spring 65 is constructed and arranged to maintain normally the contact 68 engaged with the contact 14 to hold the motor circuit closed.

The bail 48 is normally held in its forwardjpositionwith relation to the rail 8 as shown in Fig. 3 by the action of the spring 66 on the rod 64. In the, event that, while the line space frame is being driven by the motor forwardly over the platen, the safety bail 48 meets an obstruction, such as the fingers of the operator, the bail will'be swung rearwardly with relation to the front rail 8 and the control rod will be moved rearwardly by the bail to disengage the contact 68 from the contact 14 and thereby break the motor circuit.

In order to enable the rear portion of the depressor plate to be lifted by the rearward movement of the lower part of the bail, said bail is formed with a contact portion 8!] extending downwardly and rearwardly from the body of the bail and arranged to engage the upright attaching portion 36 of the depressor plate along a line considerably below the axis about which the depressor plate pivots.

With this construction, when the line space frame has been moved forwardly to carry the rear edge of the, depressor plate beyond the forward edgeof a work sheet, the ball is swung rearwardly by the operator first to engage the extension 80 with the depressor plate and then to swing the depressor plate rearwardly therewith to lift the rear portion of said plate. Then the rear part of the depressor plate will clear the work sheets or the forward margins of the sheets may be readily depressed below the same so that the line space frame may be moved rearwardly by the operator without tearing or rumpling the sheets.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the form thereof illustrated and described in this application or to the particular construction and arrangement of parts in which it is shown as embodied, but that the invention may be embodied in other forms and may include other constructions within the scope of the claims.

Having explained the nature and object of the invention and having illustrated and described a construction embodying the invention in its preferred form, what is claimed is:

1. A typewriting machine having, in combination, a substantially flat platen, a line space frame movable over the platen in one direction to line space and in the opposite direction, a depressor plate movably mounted on the line space frame and yieldingly pressed toward the platen and devices relatively displaseable out of holding position by movement of the depressor plate for supporting said plate on the line space frame for detachment solely by manipulation of the plate.

2. A typewriting machine having, in combination, a plate like platen, a line space frame mounted for forward and rearward movement over the platen and having a transverse forward portion, a depressor plate movably mounted on said forward portion of the line space frame and arranged to engage the work sheets adjacent said forward portion and devices movable relatively out of depressor plate holding position by bodily movement of the plate for supporting said plate on the forward portion of the line space frame for detachment merely by manual displacement of the plate.

3. A typewriting machine having, in combination, a substantially flat platen, a line space frame movable over the platen in one direction to line space and in the opposite direction and a depressor plate mounted for pivotal movement on said frame and yieldingly pressed toward the platen to hold a Work sheet in contact with the platen adjacent the line along which'the devices relatively displaceable by movement of the depressor plate into and out of attaching position for movably supporting said plate on the line space frame for attachment to and detachment from said frame solely by the manipulation of the plate.

4. A typewriting machine having, in combination, a plate like platen, a line space frame mounted for movement with relation to the platen in line spacing and return directions, a depressor plate pivotally mounted on said frame and yieldingly pressed toward the platen to hold a work sheetin contact with the platen adjacent the line along which the types are impressed upon said sheet, one or more springs for yieldingly pressing the depressor plate toward the platen and devices relatively movable out of plate holding position by movement of the depressor plate for pivotally supporting said plate on said frame for detachment from the frame by the manual displacement only of the plate.

5. A typewriting machine having, in combination, a substantially fiat platen, a line space frame movable forwardly and rearwardly with relation to the platen, a depressor plate movably mounted on the line space frame and arranged to engage the work sheets supported on the platen and devices relatively displaceable by bodily movement of the plate for movably connecting said plate to the line space frame for detachment from the frame solely by manipulation of the plate, said connecting devices being constructed and arranged for the attachment of the plate to the frame also solely by manipulation of the plate.

6. A typewriting machine having, in combination, a substantially flat platen, a line space frame movable with relation to the platen in line spacing and return directions, a depressor plate movably mounted on said frame, a motor for moving said frame, a circuit for the motor, a switch for controlling said circuit, a safety bail mounted on the line space frame and arranged to control said switch and means on the bail for actuating the depressor plate to lift the work engaging portion thereof.

7. A typewriting machine having, in combination, a plate like platen, a line space frame movable forwardly and rearwardly over the platen, a depressor plate movably mounted on the forward portion of said frame, a motor for moving said frame, a circuit for the motor, a switch for controlling said circuit, a safety bail movably mounted on the forward portion of said frame for controlling said switch and means on said bail for actuating the depressor plate to lift the Work engaging portion thereof.

8. A typewriting machine having, in combination, a plane faced platen, a line space frame movable with relation to the platen in line spacing and return directions and having a forward transverse member, a depressor plate movably mounted on the forward member of said frame and arranged to engage yieldingly the work sheets supported on the platen, a motor for moving said I frame, a circuit for the motor, a switch for controlling said circuit, a safety bail movably mounted on the forward transverse member of said frame forwardly of the depressor plate for controlling said switch and means on said bail for actuating the depressor plate to lift the work engaging portion thereof upon rearward movetion, a substantially fiat platen, a line space frame movable over the platen in one direction to line space and in the opposite direction, a depressor plate movably mounted on said frame, means for supporting the depressor plate on the frame for removal by displacement of the plate comprising sockets and spring pressed detents engaging in said sockets.

10. A typewriting machine having, in combination, a plate like platen, a line space frame movable forwardly and rearwardly with relation to the platen, a depressor plate removably carried by said frame and movable relatively thereto and means for supporting the depressor plate on the frame for removal by manipulation of the plate comprising ball receiving sockets, balls engaging in said sockets and springs for yieldingly holding the balls in said sockets.

11. A typewriting machine having, in combination, a plane faced platen, a line space frame movable with relation to the platen in line spacing and return directions and having a forward transverse member, a depressor plate pivoted upon said forward transverse member of the frame and having the rear portion thereof yieldingly pressed toward the platen, a safety bail mounted for forward and rearward pivotal movement on said transverse member of the frame forwardly of the depressor plate and means operated by the bail as the bail is swung rearwardly with relation to said transverse member for actuating the depressor plate to lift the rear portion thereof.

12. A typewriting machine having, in combination, a substantially flat platen, a line space frame movable forwardly and rearwardly over the platen and having a forward transverse member, a depressor plate pivoted upon said forward transverse member of the frame and having the rear portion thereof yieldingly pressed toward the platen, a safety bail mounted for forward and rearward pivotal movement on said transverse member of the frame forwardly of the depressor plate and a contact carried by the bail and arranged to engage the depressor plate below the axis thereof to lift the work engaging portion of the plate during the rearward movement of the bail with relation to said frame.

OSCAR W. SWANSON. 

